Incentives

Tourism industry

The Spanish “Horizon 2020” Tourism Plan is currently in force, and has the following objectives: (i) to increase the social and economic benefits of tourism; (ii) to achieve a social/territorial rebalance which boosts the tourist business at new destinations; and (iii) to improve the quality of the national and cultural environment by reducing the potentially negative impact of the tourist business.

This notwithstanding, in order to palliate the consequences of the global financial crisis for the Spanish tourist industry, and with a view to boosting the competitiveness of tourist enterprises and destinations, recovering the industry’s leadership position, the 2012-2015 Integral National Tourism Plan (Plan Nacional Integral de Turismo or PNIT) was approved, under which the following financing programs have been implemented:

•“Emprendetur” Young Entrepreneurs, aimed at financing projects and business models which comply with the objectives of the PNIT and with certain areas of scientific and technological knowledge of the tourist industry (energy and sustainability, CIT, materials and construction, etc.)

• “Emprendetur” R&D and TI Program, aimed at financing projects and business models specifically targeted at strengthening the innovative potential and competitiveness of companies in the tourist industry.

• “Emprendetur” International, aimed at opening new international tourist markets, increasing or bolstering existing markets and the export to other countries of Spanish tourist-related products or services.